Guide beam for plural carriages equipped with driving motors

ABSTRACT

A guide beam for plural carriages including supporting rails secured to the beam, driving devices disposed along the rails each associated with a carriage and operated by a separate motor, troughs placed along the length of the beam, flexible cables placed in the troughs, and a hollow arm fixed to each carriage and the end of which moves above each trough, the flexible cables placed in each trough being inserted into the end of the arm located above the trough. The guide beam is characterized by guide tracks placed along the beam one for each carriage and by caterpillars for the cables, each being movable above its associated trough in one of the guide tracks, and supporting the end of the variable length of the cables which are inserted into the hollow arm.

United States Patent Gouttierre GUIDE BEAM FOR PLURAL CARRIAGES EQUIPPED WITH DRIVING MOTORS [72] Inventor: Jean Gouttierre, Nivelles, Belgium [73] Assignee: Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi (ACEC), Charleroi, Belgium [22] Filed: Feb. 17, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 116,098

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data lid [ Oct. 17,1972

3,470,776 10/1969 Brichard et al ..83/ll Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Attorney-Raymond A. Robic [5 7] ABSTRACT A guide beam for plural carriages including supporting rails secured to the beam, driving devices disposed along the rails each associated with a carriage and operated by a separate motor, troughs placed along the length of the beam, flexible cables placed in the 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Feb. 19, 1970 Belgium ..85535 [52] US. Cl. ..83/l1, 83/433, 83/481, 83/513, 83/700 [51] Int. Cl. ..B26d 3/08 [58] Field of Search ..83/1l,5l3,433,481,700, 83/614 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,424,357 1/1969 Curtze et al. ..83/ll X n 5 W t 1 H 27 l9l6 [2 IL PATENTEDum 17 I972 SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTOR Jean GOUTTIERRE A TTORNE Y PATENTEU 17 I973 3.698.270

SHEET 2 1F 2 INVENTOR Jean GOUTTIERRE ATTORNEY GUIDE BEAM FOR PLURAL CARRIAGES EQUIPPED WITH DRIVING MOTORS This invention relates to a guide beam for plural carriages equipped with driving motors.

Belgian Pat. No. 724,l25 discloses a guide beam for plural carriages equipped with driving motors. The carriages may be displaced simultaneously provided that they do not cross each other. The guide beam of the above patent consists of a beam per se, of supporting rails secured to the beam, of driving devices placed along the rails and each being associated with one of the carriages and operated by a separate motor, of troughs extending along the length of the beam, of flexible cables placed in such troughs, and of a hollow arm secured to each carriage and the end of which is placed above one of the troughs, each cable placed in one of the troughs being inserted into the end of the arm placed above it.

.The object of the present invention is an improvement over the above guide beam for reducing the space taken thereby, for increasing the number of carriages supported thereby, and for improving the security of its operation.

The guide beam in accordance with the invention is characterized by guide tracks the number of which corresponds to the number of carriages on the supporting rails and by caterpillars for the cables, each caterpillar being movable above a trough along one of the guide tracks and supporting the end, of variable length, of the cable inserted into the hollow arm.

More particularly, the beam per se is characterized by plural sidewalls and by cross-members maintaining the sidewalls at the same distance from each other along the full longitudinal length thereof, but such lateral walls being of sufficient height to provide enough space for securing the guide tracks for the caterpillars laterally thereof. The above-mentioned space may be located either above or below the crossmembers.

It is also possible to secure to the lateral walls the supporting rails, a graduated scale, a rack, etc... although the above accessories may also be secured to the cross-members.

The invention will be disclosed below in connection with a beam for cutting glass upon which the carriages support glass scoring tools. Such a beam is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a detailed cross-section of a beam in accordance with the invention; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate two longitudinal section views illustrating schematically, at a reduced scale, the beam in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, plural carriages 1, each equipped with a driving motor 2, move along a beam 3. In FIG. 2, two carriages l are illustrated schematically. In FIGS. 1 and 3, a single carriage 1 may be seen.

The beam 3 is composed of lateral walls 4 which are maintained at the same distance from each other by means of cross-members 5. The beam 3 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises only two lateral walls 4 and one crossmember 5. If such beam has four lateral walls 4, it would obviously include three cross-members 5. As the term beam implies, the lateral walls 4 are generally flat plates disposed vertically, but it is to be understood that these walls may be bended, in concentric rings for example, to make a circular guide beam. In such a case, FIGS. 2 and 3 would illustrate the evolution of such a guide beam, whereas FIG. 1, which is a section view, would not be changed.

Two supporting rails 6 are secured to the lower end of the lateral walls 4 of the beam 3. On these rails may slide two skates 7 equipped with circular ball bearings secured to carriage 1. Below the two rails 6 are fixed two racks 8. Such racks are engaged by two pinions 9 secured to the same shaft and driven, through a reducer, by a pinion 10 of the motor 2.

V A hollow arm 11 for an assembly of flexible cables and pipes is mounted on each carriage 1. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, four carriages are shown. The references 11, 11" and 11" illustrate the position of the arms the carriages of which are hidden behind carriage 1. The assembly of the flexible cables and pipes consists of a single layer of copper leads insulated from each other and by three compressed air pipes.

A caterpillar 13 holds each of the ends of the flexible cables and pipes connected to arms 11, 11, 11", or 11" and lifts such cables and pipes from a corresponding trough 14..In each trough 14, the flexible cables and pipes are led to a fixed connecting point 15 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The caterpillar 13 is composed of a number of rollers 16 which idly mounted on shafts secured to a carriage 17 maintained within a guide track 18. The rollers 16 have different diameters, the diameter of the roller located at the end of each caterpillar being larger than the diameter of the intermediate rollers. The trough 14 is relatively large and delimited by a high ridge so that the end rollers extend inside the trough. The bottom of the trough is adapted to the shape of the assembly 12 of the flexible cables and pipes. The carriage 17 of the. caterpillar 13 is equipped with ball bearings 19 ensuring a low friction and a high precision of the guide tracks. The guide track 18 consists of two profile members in the form of a C facing each other. The trough l4 and the guide track 18 are fixed to the lateral walls 4 below the crossmembers 5. The arms 11 and 11' may be introduced in the space between two caterpillars 13 to lift up the cables from the caterpillars.

In the embodiment illustrated, the carriages l are located below beam 3. It is obvious. that other embodiments may be envisaged wherein the carriages are located above the beam. In such a case, the troughs l4 would rest on the cross-members 5 and the portion of the lateral walls upon which the guide tracks are fixed would be above the cross-members 5. This embodiment is also possible when the carriages are located below the beams 3provided that the arms 11 surround the beam. In this latter case, it is not necessary to provide a space for arms 11 and 11' between the caterpillars located between two lateral walls 4. In addition, the cables are more easily accessible to replace or repair them.

Each carriage l is equipped with a glass scoring device 20 which may be pneumatically operated by compressed air led through the flexible pipes of the assembly 12.

To control the position of the different carriages 1, a graduated scale 21 is fixed to one of the lateral walls 4 of the beam 3. Such a graduated scale, made of glass for example, covered by six rows of metallic masks 22 is scanned by a reading device consisting of a light source 23 and six photoelectric detectors 24. Such a reading device may be combined with a time positioning device using a synchronous receiver 25 (Selsyn) placed on the shaft upon which are secured the pinions 9.

To prevent any pull on the flexible cables an pipes 12, it is possible to attach a wire cable 26 between, on one hand, a lug 27 secured about the middle of the guide track 18 and, on the other hand, the arm 11. In order that such wire cable does not interfere with the displacement of the assembly of the flexible cables and pipes, shots 28 are provided in rollers 16.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the two end positions of the caterpillar 13. The length of the caterpillar 13 is about half of the length of the beam 3, suspended between two supports 29 and 30. Consequently, the lug 27 to which is secured the wire cable 26 and which is located about the middle of beam 3 is, in one of the positions of the caterpillar 13 near its right hand end and in the other position near its left hand end. Each carriage 1 may then run the full length of the beam. In case of damage to one of the scoring tools, the carriage which supports the damaged tool is controlled in such a way that it always occupies a position at a predetermined minimum distance of two adjacent carriages. The function of such carriage having a damaged tool is then taken by one of the adjacent carriages which, in turn, may be replaced by its neighboring carriage, etc... until the next carriage which is put into use is equipped with a spare tool. Such a change may be made at any time without disturbing the work.

I claim:

1. A guide beam for plural carriages equipped with separate driving motors comprising: a beam per se, supporting rails secured to said beam, driving devices placed along said rails and each being associated with a carriage and operated by a separate motor, troughs extending along the length of the beam, flexible cables placed in said troughs, a hollow arm fixed to each carriage and the end of which moves above each trough, the cables placed in each trough being introduced into the open end of the arm above the trough, guide tracks for each carriage on the supporting rails, and caterpillars for the cables, each caterpillar moving above a trough in one of said guide tracks and supporting the end of the cables of variable length being introduced into the hollow arm.'

2. A guide beam as defined in claim 1, wherein the beam consists of plural lateral walls and of cross-members maintaining at the same distance from each other the lateral walls along their full longitudinal length, but providing a free space where said guide tracks for the caterpillars are fixed.

3. A guide means as defined in claim 2, wherein the supporting rails are attached to the lateral walls of the beam.

4. A guide beam as defined in claim 2, wherein a graduated scale is secured to one of the lateral walls of the beam for positioning the carriages.

5. A guide beam as defined in claim 1, wherein each caterpillar is composed of a number of rollers each rotatably mounted on a shaft secured to a carriage slidingin saidguide track.

. A gui e beam as defined in claim 5, wherein said trough is bordered by high ridges into which the end rollers extend.

7. A guide beam as defined in claim 6, further comprising a wire cable attached at one end to said guide track about the middle thereof and at its other end to said hollow arm to prevent any pull on the flexible cables.

8. A guide beam as defined in claim 7, wherein said rollers have a groove therein for preventing the wire cable from interfering with the cables. 

1. A guide beam for plural carriages equipped with separate driving motors comprising: a beam per se, supporting rails secured to said beam, driving devices placed along said rails and each being associated with a carriage and operated by a separate motor, troughs extending along the length of the beam, flexible cables placed in said troughs, a hollow arm fixed to each carriage and the end of which moves above each trough, the cables placed in each trough being introduced into the open end of the arm above the trough, guide tracks for each carriage on the supporting rails, and caterpillars for the cables, each caterpillar moving above a trough in one of said guide tracks and supporting the end of the cables of variable length being introduced into the hollow arm.
 2. A guide beam as defined in claim 1, wherein the beam consists of plural lateral walls and of cross-members maintaining at the same distance from each other the lateral walls along their full longitudinal length, but providing a free space where said guide tracks for the caterpillars are fixed.
 3. A guide means as defined in claim 2, wherein the supporting rails are attached to the lateral walls of the beam.
 4. A guide beam as defined in claim 2, wherein a graduated scale is secured to one of the lateral walls of the beam for positioning the carriages.
 5. A guide beam as defined in claim 1, wherein each caterpillar is composed of a number of rollers each rotatably mounted on a shaft secured to a carriage sliding in said guide track.
 6. A guide beam as defined in claim 5, wherein said trough is bordered by high ridges into which the end rollers extend.
 7. A guide beam as defined in claim 6, further comprising a wire cable attached at one end to said guide track about the middle thereof and at its other end to said hollow arm to prevent any pull on the flexible cables.
 8. A guide beam as defined in claim 7, wherein said rollers have a groove therein for preventing the wire cable from interfering with the cables. 